NEW YORK CITY: The UN on Thursday expressed deep concern about the escalating political and security situation in South Sudan. It urged all parties to exercise restraint and honor the terms of the country’s Revitalized Peace Agreement.

On Wednesday, an armed convoy led by the nation’s top security officials, including its defense minister, entered the home of First Vice President Riek Machar in Juba, disarmed his bodyguards and placed him under house arrest.

Tensions between Machar and President Salva Kiir had been escalating for several weeks. In August 2018, the two leaders reached a peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war between their forces, which had resulted in nearly 400,000 deaths. In the seven years since then, however, their relationship has grown more strained due to ethnic conflicts and occasional violence. Machar’s party said his detention effectively signaled the collapse of the peace deal.

This week, the UN reported that barrel bombs thought to contain highly flammable liquid were used in airstrikes during clashes between the army and a rebel group formerly associated with Machar.

Speaking during the UN’s daily briefing on Thursday, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned that the detention of Machar was a significant step toward further instability in the country and a possible return to war.

It “takes the country yet one step closer to the edge of a collapse into civil war and the dismantling of the peace agreement,” he said.

Dujarric highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan, where 9.3 million people are now in need of assistance and many face the combined effects of ongoing conflict, climate change and a worsening economic crisis.

“South Sudan’s people can ill afford to endure the consequences of a civil war,” he said. “It is vital that the leaders of the country put the interest of the people first and foremost.”

The peacekeeping UN Mission in South Sudan called on Kiir and Machar to resolve their differences peacefully, end military confrontations, and work together to guide the nation toward a democratic future. The mission reiterated its commitment to supporting the country in its efforts to overcome the challenges it faces and maintain peace.

South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, having gained independence from Sudan in July 2011.